Hybrid vehicles include a battery connected to motor/generators within the transmission to increase the fuel economy of the vehicle. Because of the size of the battery required, it must be located remotely from the engine compartment. Additionally, in order for maintenance, including access to the battery for recharging, the battery must be placed in an accessible location. As a result, the battery is commonly located in a rear storage area of the vehicle.
Although the battery is large enough to require a remote location from the engine compartment the entire square footage of the storage area is typically not covered by the battery, resulting in an uneven floor. The uneven floor makes loading and moving large objects in the storage area awkward. In addition, raising the entire floor of the storage area to store the battery beneath results in a loss of storage space.